New Delhi, October 14, 2011
The 1965 battleground between India and Pakistan in Rann of Kutch is now a war zone between security forces and environmentalists over protecting Indian flamingoes and Harappan site of Dholavira. Gujarat's public works department has proposed an elevated road to provide better access to
the BSF's last point in Rann of Kutch, where Indian and Pakistani troops fought a bloody battle in 1965, in addition to existing road along the Indo-Pak border.
That is what Gujarat has told the environment ministry to get the clearance from the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife that meets on Friday.
What it didn't say is tourism potential by providing wildlife, prehistoric creates and unique archeological site along side the road.
The elevated road will pass through Kutch Desert Wildlife Sanctuary, India's only dry protected area, bringing the famous Flamingo City closer to vehicle access. Every year, thousands of flamingos transcend in this site in South Asia to raise their broods.
Close to Flamingo City is Tangdi Bet, the last refuge of wild ass in the Rann. Their other home in south Asia is in Rajasthan. South of the proposed road is one of the most diverse mangrove system of 7,000 sq meters at Sharavan Kavadia.
The proposed road will cut through archeological site of Jurassic and Cretaceous ages, where relics of dinosaurs, prehistoric crocodiles and whales have been found and fifth largest Indus Valley civilisation site at Dholavira.